Football game apparatus



CfH. WILKINS.

FOOTBALL GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY Iz. I92I.

IUI/521ml:

- citizen of the United States,

-Fig l.

- GLYDE HENRY VI'ILKINS, QF IELIN'IS.

FOOTBALL G'AME APP ares.

SpecicationvofwLetters Patent. Patented Apr. lig, E922@ Application lfiled Mayu, 1921. Serial No. 463,913.

To allwlwm t may concern.'

Be it known that l, CLYDE'H. WILKINS, a

Lyndon, in the county of llVhiteside and State of illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Football Game Apparatusg and l hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

rlhis inventionis a novel game apparatus particularly designed for use in playing imaginary football and for teaching the game of foot ball. rlhe object of the inventionl is to provide a novel game which will be pleasing to children and adults, and will enable them to playcan imaginary game of foot ball understandingly, even if they are not originally familiar with the game, and Will not only. be interesting as a game in itself, but will also teach the game of foot ball to personsnot familiar with the game or rules thereof.

The invention resides inthe novel game apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawingsand hereinafter described withy reference thereto; and in the claims the essentials of the invention and the novel features of construction and novel combinations of parts are summarized.. ln the drawings;

Fig. l is a top plan view of the apparatus partly broken away. j Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line .2T-2

lThe game apparatus as shown comprises a substantially rectangular box or casing l which may be of any suitable construction and has a substantially fiat top portion, the upper surfaceof which represents the field on which are lined up the teams as indicated at A and B.k rlhe team A is shown in position for receiving and'y the team B in position for kick of; the illustration shows the line up of the teams as in a modern foot ball game. f

At each side of the field 33 are longitudinal rows of perforations 32 into which are inserted wonden pegs P representing the players;

the position of the pegs in the holes being residing at governed by the plays indicated on a movable cylinder as hereinafter explained.

The field is shown as divided by transverse lines 33a, supposedly 40 yards apart as in the usual regulation game. F or conven-l ience the rows of perforations 32 are nurnbered at every 5th hole, the distance between the adjacent holes corresponding to yards. The of the field are arranged in reverse sequence. A t one side of the box and inner side of the' field is arranged a cylinder 3, which may be ofany suitable construction and it is shown as composed of two end disks 3a, 3av and an intermediate disk 3b surrounded by a cylin-F dric metal shell 3C. The cylinder is provided with end trunnions which'are supported in brackets 5 and 5a attached to opposite sides of the casing as shown.

The periphery of this cylinder is divided into a series of parallel circumferential columns C'preferably ll in number, and each column is divided into a series of equal spaces C and in each space C' a certain numbers on the opposite sidesplay is specified. The spaces -C in adja- Cent columnsare equal--and extend 'in arallel rows lengthwise of the cylinder. f he column of plays9 maybe printed directly on the cylinder-or preferably are printed upon a sheet of suitable material which is fastened to the periphery of the cylinder. vThe printed sheet should correspond in extent with the ircurnference and length of the cylinder when applied thereto. The abbreviationsused on said sheet are asv followsgR. E.-right end; L. E -left end; R. H. right half; L. ifi-left half; @Piquerter; F. B.'-full back.

For example the first cirqumferential column of' plays on the cylinder would read;

E B. covers ball, gains i0 yds. 10 yds. to go; f

Foul kick, kick over, R. H. covers ball, gains l50 yds. 10 yds to go;

Q5. covers ball,gains 35 yds l0 yds'. to go;

E. E. covers ball, gains yds. l0 yds. to

` L. H. covers ball, gains 25 yds. 10 yds.

lli

Q. makes touch down, kicks goal, kick oil1 lF. B. covers ball gains l5 yds. l() yds.

to. o; Y

` covers ball-gains 35 yds. l0 yds. to go; R. lll. covers ball gains l5 yds. l0 yds.

to go; v Y

l-l. covers b-all gains l() yds. yds. to go;

. lll.- covers ball gains 30 yds. lyds.

to o.

ach one of the other circumferential coluinns contams var1ous other directions for The spaces inthe adjacent columns are in alinement, and for example the first longi- 'tudinal row of spaces C extendin longitudinally ol the cylinder would rea L l. covers ball, gains 30 yds. l0 yds.

o gains, l yd. to go ;l F. punts yds. team covers ball, 10

i yds. to go;

Q. ains 4 yds. no downs, 10 yds. to go; L. gains 2 yds. 2 yds. to go; f R. lll. makes touch down, no goal kiek, kick oil;

l?. l. gains '2 yds. l yds. to go;

Foul play loses ball to opponent, no downs, l() yds. togo;

R. ll. gains 5 yds. 8 ydsvto go;

rlliine out, man hert, 9 yds. to go ;y

L. E. gains 12-yds. no downs l0 yds. to go.

rl`he cylinder in the example shown projects above the plane of the iield, but is partly enclosed in the box l, and partly in a curved parti-spherical cover Qwhich forms and is attached to the box as indicated in Figs. l and 2.

part of the top of the box,

rllhis cover 2 may be made of tin or other suitabley material and is provided with a longitudinal slot 2 in'its iront side through which the plays indicated on one longitudinal row of spaces C on the cylinder are displayed. Below the slotQa and upon the outer lace ol the cover 2, may be' displayed or printed a series oil directions al, by which-the difi'erent plays are governed, there being one lor each section and in the example shown these directions read; Kick olii l yard to go; 2 yds. to go; 3 yds. to go; 4l yds. to go; 5 yds. to go; 6 yds. to go; 7 yds. to go; 8 yds. to go; 9 yds. to go; 10 yds. to go.

Attached to one end of the cylinder 3 is a toothed disk l the teeth otwhichare adapted to be engaged by a lug or tooth 8a on the free end ol the lever 8 which is pivoted at 8b to the adjacent end wall o'l the box l. rl`his lever 8 is normall upheld by any suitable spring means. spring '8 is s own vadapted Laisser to raise the lever and normally hold it in the position shown n Fig. 2 in which position the tooth 8a is engaged between two of the teeth ofthe disk l, and when so ened holds the cylinder stationary. The upward movement of the lever 8 may be limited by a pin 12. rlhis lever may be guided in its movements by a loop 11.

Lever 8 has. a linger piece 8 which projects above the topy of the field through a suitable opening in the top plate of the casing' in convenient position to be engaged by the finger.

ln playing the game the lever 8 'Should be quickly depressed by pressure on the piece 8, and when thus depressed the tooth 8a engaging one ol the teeth of the disk l causes it-to revolve the -cylinder on its axis. rl`he tooth 8a disenga-ges the disk when the lever is fully depressed, and permits the cylinder to revolve freely. When the lever is released the tooth 8a engages with the teeth of disk l and arrests the rotationol the cylinder, and then turns it back andstops it (when the lever has returned to the position shown in Fig. 2) so that. one of the longitudinal rows ol pla-ys7 on the periphery of the cylinder is opposite the sight opening 2a, as indicated in Fig. l, and canbe read by the players.

The directions .for playing the game. arev displayed-on the coverat the outer side or the field the directions being as follows; g

@Push down on lever with linger to revolve roller. Player read in column headed lriclr cd2V lf it reads Quarter coversA ball, gains yds. l() yds. to go player moves .his peg 35 yards vfrom opponents' goal. lst down. togo, etc.' Set indicator for downs accordinnl'y.

lvotally mounted on the cover l at one side of 'the ield is a. pointer l by which the downs are indicated. A tally index is printed on the cover adj acent this pointer, the tally reading as follows; l. Safety-8 points; 2. Touchdowne points; Goal- 2 points..

Small movable pegs or pins P are provided, preferably .one vfor each player, which pins can be placed in the rows ol holes 32 at the opposite sidesol the ield in accordance with the plays. indicated through the slot 2*", the players alternately operating lever 8 and the movements ol the team land posi# tion of the pegs being determined by the plays appearing on the cylinder at the opening 2a..

rllhen read in column headed l() yds. Y

4 and stops the rotation of the cylinder, and as the lever rises the cylinder is turned backward a distance equal to about two horizontal rows ofplays, and some one of' the horizontal rows off pla-ys on the cylinderis 'brought opposite slot 2 through which same for the insertion of pegs, the perforationsf4 corresponding in number to the. yards of the field, a rotatable cylinder in the casing` at one side of the eld bearing upon its'periphery indicia for plays arranged in circumferentialcolumns and longitudinal rows, the casing having a longitudinal sight opening adjacent the cylinder through which one of the rows of plays is visible; said casing bearing a row of' indicia indicatingl directions adjacent the slot, there being one direction for each column of plays on the cylinder; and manually operable means for rotating the cylinder.

2. In a game apparatus as set forth in claim l; a toothed Wheel on the cylinder, a lever having ya tooth engaging said toothed wheel, spring means for normally holding' the lever in raised position with its tooth engaged with the Wheel so as to lock the cylinder, and means for manually depressing the lever so as to disengage it from the toothed Wheel a'nd permit (the cylinder to rotate; the lever reengaging and locking the wheel when released.

3. A aine apparatus comprising a casing having indicia for a foot ball field on its top, and having a row of perforations down each side of the field for the insertion of pegs, the perforations corresponding in number to the length in yards oil the field,

a rotatable cylinder at one side of the field extending longitudinally thereof and rotatably. mounted in the casing, said cylinder bearing upon its periphery circumferential columns of indicia for plays theY plays in the .adjacent columns beingalso arranged in rows extending longitudinally of the cylinder; .said casing also bearing a series of indicia for directions by which the different plays are governed; and means for rotating the cylinder, substantially as `described.

4. In a game apparatus as set forth in claim 3; a toothed Wheel on the cylinder. a lever having a tooth engaging said toothed Wheel, spring meansy for normally holding the lever in raised position with its tooth engaged With the Wheel so as to lock the cylinder, and means for manually depressing the lever so as to disengage it from the toothed Wheel andV permit the cylinder to rotate; the lever reengaging and locking the Wheel when released.

5, 'A game apparatus comprising a casing having indicia for a foot ball field on its top and having a row of perforations downv each side of the field for the insertion of pegs, the perforations corresponding in number to the usual length in yards of the field; a rotatable cylinder at one side of the field extending longitudinally thereof and rotatably mounted inthe casing, said cylinder bearing upon its peripheryy circumferentia'l columns of indicia for plays, the plays in the adjacent columns being also' arranged in rows extending longitudinally of lthe cylinder; a cover for the cylinder provided with a longitudinal sight `opening through which one longitudinal row of playson the cylinder may be read; and a series of indicia for directions, onel for.

each column of plays, 'adjacent the sight opening by which the different plays are governed; and means for rotating the cylinder. `substantially as described.

6. In a game apparatus as set forth in claim 5; a toothed Wheel on the cylinder, a lever having a tooth engaging said toothed Wheel, spring means for normally holding the lever in raised position with its tooth engaged with the Wheel so as to lock the cylinder. and meansy for manually depressing the lever so as to disengage it from the toothed Wheel and permit the cylinder to rotate; the lever reengaging and Vlocking the Wheel when released.

f In testimony that I claim the yforegoing as my own, I aHix my signature.

CLYDE HENRY VVILKINS. 

